15 Oct 2021 News Oceans & Seas

LEARN: 'From Pollution to Solution - A global assessment on marine litter and plastic pollution'

LAUNCH: ‘From Pollution to Solution - A global assessment of marine litter and plastic pollution'

From Pollution to Solution' is a landmark assessment detailing and analysing the current state of scientific knowledge on marine litter and plastic pollution. 

To read the full report, explore the interactive story and discover the 'Drowning in Plastics - Marine Litter and Plastic Waste Vital Graphics', click here

Watch the recording of the launch event below.

The launch event, which was held on Thursday 21st October, 2021:

  • Presents the key findings of the 'From Pollution to Solution' assessment
  • Discusses various aspects of the scientific findings in the assessment, as well as knowledge gaps and emerging issues
  • Discusses policy implications of the assessment for governments, industry and other stakeholders
  • Highlights the new Vital Graphics report, 'Drowning in Plastics – Vital Graphics on Marine Litter and Plastic Waste', developed in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions and GRID-Arendal.
  • Provides an overview of the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) Action Tracks and activities to advance them
  • Introduces the GPML Digital Platform and how it enhances multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration
  • Engages the audience in the panel discussions

Programme:

1. Opening from the moderator, Naka Kondo - Senior Editor at The Economist Intelligence Unit. Bio here.

2. Introductory remarks

  • Leticia Carvalho - Head of Marine and Freshwater Branch, UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Bio here.
  • H.E. Gunnar Holm - Norwegian Ambassador to Kenya, Somalia and Seychelles and Permanent Representative to UNEP and UN-HABITAT. Bio here.
  • Sarah Da Silva - Head, Marine Litter Unit, Environment and Climate Change Canada. Bio here

3. Overview of assessment's key findings

  • Jacqueline McGlade, Lead Author of 'From Pollution to Solution' and Professor of Sustainable Development and Resilience at the Institute for Global Prosperity, University College London, and International Public Policy and Governance at Strathmore University Business School, Kenya. Bio here

4. Panel 1 discussion on scientific findings

  • Cheryl Rita Kaur - Head, Centre for Coastal and Marine Environment (CMER) at the Maritime Institute of Malaysia (MIMA). Bio here.
  • Winnie Lau - Senior Manager, Preventing Ocean Plastics, The Pew Charitable Trusts. Bio here.
  • Thomas Maes - Senior Scientist, GRID-Arendal. Bio here.
  • Sarah Dunlop - Director, Plastics & Human Health, the Minderoo Foundation. Bio here.
  • Trisia Angela Farrelly - Co-Director, Political Ecology Research Centre at Massey University. Bio here

5. Panel 2 discussion on policy implications

  • H.E. Ambassador Walton Webson – Permanent Representative of Antigua and Barbuda to the United Nations. Bio here.
  • Christoffer Vestli – International Relations Officer, European Commission. Bio here.
  • David Vivas Eugui - Legal Officer at the Division on International Trade and Commodities, UNCTAD. Bio here.
  • Kirsten Barnes - Project Lead at South African Plastics Pact for GreenCape. Bio here.
  • Brian Bauer - Circular Economy and Institutional Partnerships at ALGRAMO. Bio here

6. Discussion on next steps

  • Introduction to the Global Partnership on Marine Litter (GPML) Action Tracks
  • Enhanced multi-stakeholder engagement and collaboration through the GPML Digital Platform

7. Closing 

VIEW PRESENTATION SLIDES HERE